What To Expect While Learning English

Learning a new language is never easy. Knowing what you can expect in the process will help you avoid desperation and stay focused and persistent. Difficulties in learning will greatly depend on the degree of difference between your native language and English. Students whose native language is French or German generally face fewer obstacles than native speakers of Chinese, Japanese or Arabic. This is something that you should definitely keep in mind if you experience difficulties with any aspects of learning. Remember: everyone is capable of mastering English, but some of you might have to invest more time and effort into it. So what are the most common difficulties that you might encounter?

Pronunciation

As you already know, the same letters in English words are pronounced differently. For instance, the letter “a” in “cat” is not the same as “a” in “rate,” and the digraph “th” is pronounced differently in “there” and “thaw.” The way to deal with it is to learn and constantly practice the rules of pronunciation and memorize the exceptions from these rules.

Grammar

While it may seem confusing and complicated at the very beginning, English grammar is actually very structured and clear. Do a lot of grammar exercises, write often and read a lot, and you’ll learn it in no time.

Spelling

Read, read and read once again to learn the spelling of the words. Memorize the rules of spelling and learn to recognize the exceptions by doing a lot of vocabulary building exercises, word games, puzzles and quizzes. And don’t forget to invest in a good dictionary!